Contempt action sought against A Raja

The Supreme Court (SC) is seized of a petition seeking invocation of the contempt act against A Raja for allegedly trying to influence Madras high court judge S Reghupati in a criminal case involving the spectrum scam-tainted former telecom minister’s close friend.

Raja is said to have called up lawyer Chandramohan on his mobile phone while he was pleading the case before Reghupati and sought to speak to the judge. Reghupati didn’t acknowledge the call and later took up the matter with then chief justice of the high court HL Gokhale, who is now an Supreme Court judge.

In turn, Gokhale informed then Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan. However, Balakrishnan declined being informed that the minister who tried to contact Reghupati was Raja. Gokhale contested his claim by releasing the correspondence between the CJI and him on the matter.

Armed with these undisputed facts, lawyers Sanjay Gautam and Sateesh Galla have sought contempt-of-court action against Raja for interfering with the administration of justice.